Soldier killed in Afghanistan hailed as 'exceptionally gifted' in tributes

One of the British soldiers who died in southern Afghanistan during the
bloodiest 24 hours for ground troops since operations began has been named
as Rifleman Daniel Hume.

Rifleman Daniel Hume who was killed in Afghanistan on Thursday.Photo: MoD

By David Harrison and Patrick Sawer

6:25PM BST 11 Jul 2009

Rifleman Hume, 22, of 4th Battalion The Rifles, was described by comrades on Saturday as "exceptionally gifted". He was killed in an explosion while on foot patrol near Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province on Thursday afternoon.

Since joining the Army, the Berkshire-born soldier had "found his place in the world", according to his family.

The tribute came as David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, insisted that troops fighting in Afghanistan were engaged in a battle for "the future of Britain" after eight troops were killed in 24 hours.

Mr Miliband warned that Britain would not be safe until it had built sufficient security in Afghanistan.

He said that it was essential to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming an "incubator for terrorism" and a launch pad for attacks on the UK and the West

Mr Miliband spoke after one of the bloodiest days of the campaign in Afghanistan, in which eight British soldiers were killed in the space of just 24 hours.

But he insisted that it was the Government's "highest priority" to ensure that British troops had the protection they needed and that the Government had spent £10 billion in the past three years on new equipment.

The latest casualties include five other British soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles who died on Friday in two separate blasts on the same patrol near Sangin.

On Thursday two soldiers, Rifleman Hume and one from the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment attached to 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, were killed in separate incidents.

The deaths took the toll for this month so far to 15 and the overall total on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 184 – surpassing the 179 who have died in Iraq.

Mr Miliband said that it had been a "grievous few days" for the families of those who had been killed, for the Army, and for the whole country.

"We know that they are engaged in a very, very difficult mission and we have a responsibility to engage the country in understanding that mission and supporting it," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

"This is about the future of Britain because we know that the badlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan – that border area – have been used to launch terrible attacks, not just on the United States, but on Britain as well.

"We know that until we can ensure there is a modicum of stability and security provided by Afghan forces for their own people, we are not going to be able to be secure in our own country."

The head of the armed forces, Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, insisted the Taliban were being driven back, despite the latest casualties.

"It's tough going because the Taliban have rightly identified Helmand as their vital ground. If they lose there then they lose everywhere and they are throwing everything they have into it," he said in a televised statement.

"But they are losing and our commanders on the ground are very clear of that. But it's going to take time and alas it does involve casualties, but when it's complete there will be the opportunity for considerably greater governance for the people of Helmand."

David Cameron, the Conservative leader, said that it was a "scandal" that the forces still lacked the helicopters they needed to move around Helmand province.

Mr Cameron said that the whole country would be "shocked" by the latest deaths and he paid tribute to the "outstanding" bravery of the troops engaged in the fighting.

He said that the Government not only needed to explain the mission in Afghanistan, but to provide the troops with the equipment they needed to do the job.

"It is a scandal that our forces still lack the helicopters they desperately require to move around in Helmand," he said.

"Promises of more helicopters in the future are not enough. More helicopters are needed today. More helicopters would save lives.

"We have been calling for more helicopters for three years. Instead of promising, the Government must act to provide more helicopters immediately."

Mr Miliband said that the Government had spent £10 billion in the past three years on new equipment for force protection, with 1,200 new armoured vehicles delivered over the last two years.